


I Wanna Hear You Say it Right Now

by everyshootingstar



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Coming Out, Feelings, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 06:17:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16571246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everyshootingstar/pseuds/everyshootingstar
Summary: “Well fuck me,” Gavin says suddenly, trying to hide in Meg’s shirt. “I think Ryan’s damn well my type.”Meg rubs the back of his neck, “You going to be alright?”Gavin’s not sure, not sure of anything really, he feels jittery in a way, like there’s somuchhe needs to do but can’t. “I need a drink,” he ends up groaning.





	I Wanna Hear You Say it Right Now

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lycanvirgin (phoenixzeal)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixzeal/gifts).



> The happiest birthdays to my Alex <3 I'm a day early, but I wanted to be on time this year! 
> 
> this honestly started out as a fake dating au that was supposed to be More but instead, it got soft. It got so so soft and I'm not even sorry.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, darling <3 I'll still write the fake dating au I set out (and that the beginning sorta sets up) to write :')
> 
> As always, you can find me on tumblr [here](https://shdowhaus.tumblr.com) and please be gentle because this is my first published freewood :) comments and kudos are appreciated, thank you!
> 
> (title comes from the rearranged version Jin's Can't Get Enough which can be found [here](https://open.spotify.com/track/3dMdyJIBdN2DgP4TPDjpuj?si=B9-RaYVLQs2OJdU5LsON6Q) if you wanna get the Mood of the fic)

It comes to a head during filming, he's tired and still half jet lagged, annoyed at the extra time he had to spend in England to sort his Visa out; everyone's been teasing him, the deportation jokes are fine, he'll laugh along, knows they're mostly for the camera and the fans, but for some reason, for some reason, he feels himself getting angry, annoyed and he's tense, can see Jack's concern over the monitor in front of him; he doesn't say anything most of the video, half answering when he's supposed to.  
  
He does fine, just fine until Michael makes another joke about him being deported, and he fires back, "S'not like I can help that they won't cut me some damn slack." He tries to school his voice so the hurt isn't obvious, and it must not be, because Michael laughs.  
  
"Dude, just marry Meg or something."  
  
Gavin feels an ache in his chest, "Wouldn't do that to her," he says with a frown, they were close, sure, but he could never do that to her, especially not when she was out pursuing her own romances.  
  
"Marry someone else then," Michael says, like it's obvious and Gavin just scoffs.  
  
"Not like there's many options for me, boi," he says. "Don't wanna pick someone up off the street, I gotta know them."  
  
For a moment, Gavin thinks he's going to drop it, but instead, it's Ryan who speaks up, "What about a coworker?"  
  
Gavin makes a face, "What's that, Rye- _yan_ ?" He asks, emphasizing his name in a way that has Jack snickering, "You offering or something?"  
  
Gavin glances away from his screen in time to see Ryan tilt his head as if contemplating it, "Sure," he says moments later, "I'll marry you, Gavin."  
  
The room goes hushed then only to be broken moments later by Michael and Jeremy who keep snickering to themselves, Geoff's loud cackles completely dissipating the tension.  
  
Ryan's got a soft grin on his lips, though his eyes seem to be boring into Gavin's now, he's not laughing and Gavin's tired eyes must be playing a trick on him because Ryan's cheeks look flushed.  
  
"Right, of course," Gavin says moments later, looking away from Ryan, "As I was saying. There's nothing I can do about it. Just gotta deal with it, I guess."  
  
-  
  
Later that day, when Gavin's packing his stuff up, trying to straighten up the mess of his desk, Ryan stops by him.  
  
"Hey," he begins, soft, careful, "If what I said made you uncomfortable, I can talk to someone. Have them cut that out of the video."  
  
Gavin looks up at Ryan, briefly shocked by how close he's standing, "Ryebread," he says, "It's. It's comedy, right? No one'll take it serious, if that's what you're worried about."  
  
Ryan gets this shy sort of look on his face, mindlessly adjusting his hat, "I'm in my late thirties and single," he says, just on the side of self deprecating, "I don't think a joke about me offering to marry you is going to hurt me anymore than I've already hurt myself."  
  
"What? No," Gavin reaches out and pats Ryan's shoulder, "Charming bloke like you? Just gotta put yourself out there, mate."  
  
Ryan huffs out a quiet laugh, "I think I'll be okay," he says, glancing over at Gavin's hand, "Hey, look, really. Just say the word and I'll get the bit cut."  
  
Gavin thinks it over for a minute, running through possible ways to neatly cut it out and then he’s shrugging, squeezing Ryan's shoulder briefly before letting his hand drop, "Nah," he says. "Leave it. It's fine. I've got no problem with it," he grins, "Not bothered by your declaration of marriage."  
  
Ryan laughs again, and this time, Gavin definitely sees the flush on his cheeks, "Yeah?" He says, mostly to himself, "Well, glad we've cleared the air." He smiles softly, "See you later, Gav."  
  
"Later, Ryebread," Gavin says, watching as the older man steps away and when Ryan's left the room, Gavin feels like his heart's going to beat out of his chest.

"What's wrong with me?" He mumbles to himself, shaking his head.  
  
_  
  
"What, so Ryan just...said yes?" Meg asks, amused and Gavin hums, setting up the next shot as she shifts into position, "Would you marry Ryan?" she asks next, arching her back a little more as Gavin takes several photos.  
  
"I don't know," Gavin says, "I used to be...wary...of him, y'know? It's a weird thing to go from that to married," he waves a hand around, "Just don't know if I could do that to him." He makes a face, "I don't know why I'm even entertaining the idea, really."  
  
Meg stands up and moves over to Gavin, because she knows, because she can sense the tension, because she’s a damn good friend, "Hey, Gav," she says, "Let's take a break, come on," she urges him, taking his hand and leading him over to the couch.  
  
Gavin sit down and places his camera on the coffee table, letting out a little groan before Meg's arms wrap around him, her fingers in his hair.  
  
"You like him, don't you?" Meg asks, her voice careful and soft. "Otherwise you wouldn't still be thinking about it."  
  
Gavin just groans again, resting his forehead against her shoulder, asks instead, "Why didn't we work out, again?"  
  
Meg laughs softly, pressing a kiss into his hair, "Because there's nothing romantic between us and so I'm off chasing my own romances," she says easily. "And you're harboring a crush on your older, attractive, male coworker." She adds as a tease.  
  
Gavin huffs quietly, "Shush. I am not."  
  
"For what it's worth, I think he's into you too," she says with a grin. "He asks about you sometimes when we're hanging out."  
  
Gavin just shoves at Meg's side, "Don't," he says. "This is all still...new, to me. Liking blokes and all." He pulls back so he can look at her. "No one else knows but you and I want to keep it like that until I figure it out more."  
  
Meg, lovely and wonderful Meg just smiles, presses her palm against Gavin's cheek, "I know," she says softly. "And I'm not trying to pressure you into anything, and you know that. I'm just saying. Maybe, if he's offering, it's not a bad deal. You wouldn't have to deal with the whole. Visa thing anymore."  
  
Gavin just makes a face, "The US is ridiculous. I'm just here to work and live. I pay taxes and all that." He drops his head down against her shoulder again. "But what would Michael say? Geoff? The others? Do I just go in and say 'hey fellas, I like men too and I want to marry Ryan'."  
  
Meg wraps her arms around Gavin, pulling him into her, "Maybe we just start with getting you to a place where you feel comfortable telling your friends that you're bisexual." She murmurs. "You've got a whole year to worry about marrying someone, if that's what you want to do."  
  
He exhales, loud and hard, "Right now I don't want to think about this," he says, almost petulant, "Break over?"  
  
A laugh, "Yeah, sure," she says, "We have to get these shot and edited. I'm on a deadline," she nudges him and he leans away from her, letting her stand. "Thanks again for being my photographer."  
  
"Anytime, love," Gavin says, wishing things were as easy as his and Meg's friendship.  
  
_

 

Lindsay accosts him on a Tuesday, her phone shoved under his nose, “ _Dude_ ,” she says, the word rolling off her tongue like she can't believe she's saying it, “Tumblr fucking loves the marriage bit from Minecraft.”

“Lindsay you absolute madwoman,” Gavin says, stepping back as she swings her phone around so he can see the screen, “You are way too in tune with Tumblr,” he glances at the screen, several gifs in a row of the particular moment in the episode of Minecraft, and under it, a line of text that just reads _DID GAVIN ACTUALLY ASK RYAN TO MARRY HIM DHDHFHF._

Lindsay finally lowers her phone, “You knew it'd happen,” she says with a grin, “I think Tumblr's shipped you two since the early days when you were still afraid of him.”

Gavin flushes, bats at Lindsay's hand when she coos and pinches his cheek, “Shush,” he says. “We're just friends, y'know. That's all.”

There must be something about his tone, or maybe she just _knows_ because she's Lindsay, but she pats him on the shoulder solemnly, “Team Love n Stuff,” she says, tone serious.

“Thanks Linds,” Gavin says eventually, and she just grins, shrugs and then makes a beeline over to Ryan’s desk to show him too.

Gavin stands there, watching from the corner of his eye, sees the way Ryan ducks his head and pulls his hat down as if he’s _bashful_ and Lindsay nudges him, says something hushed, speaking too fast for Gavin to even try and read her lips.

Ryan’s a decent guy, he tries to rationalize, seeing proof that people _ship_ them together is probably too much for the poor man, and then Gavin sees Ryan’s head lift up, eyes immediately tracking where Gavin’s standing across the room.

His heart thumps heavily against his ribcage as Ryan waves, a small smile on his face.

(Lindsay’s got a wide grin as she watches them and for the first time, Gavin wonders if Ryan’s always been this _shy_.)

 -

“Why did you decide to come out?” Gavin asks sometime later, laying across Meg’s couch, his head pillowed on her thigh, “I mean. I’ve been thinking about it, I guess, and I just. I don’t want to come out and suddenly I’m asking Ryan Haywood to marry me, y’know? I was bi before I met the guy, anyway. I don’t want it to seem _fake._ ”

Meg runs her fingers through his hair, watching him with a small smile on her lips, “Well, for one, I was never quiet about where my affections lie,” she says, “It’s never felt like a _coming out_ , for me, because I’m more than just my sexuality. I’m just open about my experiences because I know how gratifying it is to see yourself in someone you look up to. I want to be that for people.”  

Gavin closes his eyes, “Honestly until I met you and we tried dating, I never really _thought_ about my own sexuality? I mean, sure, I’ve fancied guys before when I was younger, but I thought that’s what all people my age did? Just, sometimes you see someone and you think, wow, I want to kiss them.” He covers his face with an arm, “I don’t like all the attention focused on my private life, but I know that I’m going to have people digging into it no matter what I do anyway.”

“I think, the best question to ask yourself here, is, _why_ do you want people to know,” Meg murmurs, “I’m not saying that it’s a bad idea to come out, but also, you don’t have to if you don’t feel comfortable doing it.”

Gavin groans, “I know, and I don’t want to come out to everyone right now, but at the very least, I’d like to tell Geoff and them. They’ve known me and they adore you, they won’t suddenly hate me if I tell them that sometimes I like men too, right?” he asks, voice just on the side of hesitant as he uncovers his face and looks up at Meg.

Meg smiles at him, her fingers sliding out of his hair and down to his jaw, tilting his head up a little, “They won’t hate you,” she murmurs, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “They adore you and you know that.”

He closes his eyes and relaxes in her lap, “When I do decide to make it public, I want you to be in the video too, okay?” he mumbles. “I need my best girl there as moral support.”

Meg hums softly, her hand going back to his hair, “Of course, Gav.”

-

He’s been back in the states for over a month when he finally finds the courage to come out to his coworkers, his _friends_.

It starts as a hypothetical, really, they’re between filming so they’re all just catching up on emails or playing games and Gavin looks up from the ridiculous email he’d been reading from Dan, to glance over at Michael, “Hey boi,” he says, “Say, if I liked men, would you be afraid to do that weird thing Jack wants us to do at Extra Life, y’know, like we did last year?”

The question, though not far from a usual hypothetical, seems to throw Michael for a second, and he looks up from his Switch to look at Gavin instead, eyebrow raised, “Gavin,” he says, “Gavvy, are you trying to say you want my dick?”

Gavin splutters, flushing what’s probably a hideous shade of red and he pushes his chair back from the desk, knocking into a pile of boxes, “ _That’s not what I’m trying to say at all, Michael,_ ” he says, eyes wide, aware that everyone’s watching him now. “How did you come to that conclusion?”

Michael squints, “Thought we were talking hypotheticals here,” he says. “What’s your point, Gav?”

“My point, _Michael_ , is, _would you think of me differently if I liked men,_ Michael.”

Gavin’s aware that Michael’s watching him now, staring at him as if he’s trying to figure out what he’s talking about, and then, “Nah, you’d still be Gavin.” he says with a shrug, before turning back to his Switch.

There’s a knot in his chest and he scoots forward again, clicking uselessly around his desktop for a few minutes that feel entirely too long, before, “I do,” he says.

He sees Michael stop and look up from his Switch again, placing it down on his desk. “You do, what, Gavin?”

Gavin presses his lips together, “Men, Michael. I do like men. And women.” he pauses, then adds, “I’m bisexual.”

There’s a silence in the room, and Gavin feels slightly uncomfortable, keeps his eyes trained on his monitor in front of him.

“Shit yeah, man,” Lindsay pipes up from the other side of the room, “Welcome to the club, Gav.”

A hand, Michael’s hand, lands on Gavin’s shoulder, squeezing, “You’re still an idiot,” he says, “But I’m glad you felt comfortable enough telling me,” he pauses, glancing around the room, “Us.”

Gavin doesn’t see, or hear Geoff get up, but he knows what Geoff’s hand in his hair feels like, and so when a warm hand drops into his hair, fingers massaging his head slowly, he holds his breath, “Hey buddy,” Geoff says, leaning down until he can rest his head against Gavin’s, “We don’t hate you,” he promises. “You’re still our Gavin, you know.”

Gavin’s eyes close and he feels a _weight_ leave his shoulders as he exhales, feels _relief_.

-

Things settle after that, go back to normal for the most part, even if Lindsay starts slacking him links to the ‘ _good_ bi porn’ and various bisexual and proud memes she finds on her peruse through the depths of the internet.

“She does that to me too,” Meg says casually, propping her foot up against Gavin's thigh, “She's got really good taste, though.”

Gavin glances up from his phone, raising an eyebrow at Meg, “That so, Turney? Watching porn, are you?”

Meg just winks at Gavin, “Girl’s gotta get her rocks off somehow.” she teases him and Gavin laughs, a low and fond sound as he shakes his head, reaching out to press his palm against her cheek.

“I adore you, Meg Turney.” he says, sincerely, brushing his thumb against her skin.

“And I you,” Meg says back, just as sincere, as she covers his hand with hers. “My beautiful, beautiful Gavin Free.”

He’s able to hold it for a moment longer before he pulls his hand away, “Okay seriously though, how do I get Lindsay to stop sending me porn?”

Meg laughs, reaching out and patting Gavin on the knee, “Good luck,” is all she says. 

-

Gavin drops down onto the couch beside Ryan, ignoring the way their thighs press against each other, “Hey Ryebread, how do you feel about Mario Party today?”

“You mean, how do I feel about the game inevitably fucking me over and rewarding Michael?” Ryan asks wryly, “Terrible. Horrible, even.”

He can't stop the laugh, a low and squeaky sound as he leans further into Ryan's side, “Don't be so dramatic, Rye.” He says. “You'll win sometime.”

Ryan just raises his eyebrow, nudging Gavin in the shoulder, “Me, _dramatic?_ ” he asks, just on the side of teasing, prompting Gavin to laugh harder, half curled into Ryan’s side. “You really know how to hurt a guy, Gav.”

(Gavin promptly ignores how Ryan calling him _Gav_ makes his chest feel tight and his stomach flutter.)

“Hey guys,” Jeremy says, dropping down onto the couch beside Ryan, dispelling whatever it was that had built up around the two of them. “Michael’s running a bit late but said for Gav to go ahead and set the game up.”

(Ironically enough, Jeremy calling him that makes him feel absolutely _nothing_ , which Gavin also ignores. Ryan’s his _coworker,_ and at best, a _friend_.)

Gavin fumbles around with the controls for a bit, navigating his way through the menus as he sets up the game, gets up off the couch to get himself something to drink, offering to grab something for the other two.

(By the time he returns, Michael’s waiting and he passes Jeremy a red bull, pats Michael on his shoulder before sitting down by Ryan again, pressing a cold can of diet coke into his hand.

Ryan smiles and Gavin feels warmth when their fingers brush.)

It’s both the longest and shortest hour of Gavin’s life, pressed against Ryan on the couch and he wonders vaguely if he’d noticed how _warm_ Ryan is, or how solid the guy feels before, because right now, it’s all his brain can think about. As if, since Ryan had _offered_ to _marry_ him had opened the floodgates of all the things he’d tried to repress in the past.

He tries remembering a time before his _crush_ on Ryan and finds himself coming up empty.

“It’s absolutely _terrible_ ,” he tells Meg later, running his fingers through his hair, “I’m an absolute _mess_ about all this. I can’t stop _thinking_ about him? I just. What did I think about before I realized I like him?”

Meg lets him flop over onto her bed, opens her arms as he scoots closer, until he’s finally settled against her, head on her shoulder, “Well,” she begins when he’s stops moving, “You’ve come out to your friends, and by extension, you’ve become more okay with your bisexuality, so now you’re not trying to repress your feelings for someone the same sex as you.”

“Why _Ryan_ though,” Gavin asks, voice muffled by Meg’s shirt, his tone half pained.

“Well, he is a pretty great guy. Super sweet.” Meg says, running her fingers through Gavin’s hair when he shifts, resting his head on her abdomen instead. “You two have good chemistry,” she adds, softer this time. “Even when you’re not on camera. You two are good friends and it’s. It’s normal to develop feelings for someone you’re close to. You’d have the same agonizing thoughts if you had feelings for Michael or Lindsay or even Geoff.”

Gavin makes a disgusted noise, “Geoff is like a _father_ to me,” he says. “And Michael and Lindsay are _made_ for each other. I’d never mess with that.”

Meg goes quiet for a moment, contemplative, “Maybe Ryan’s your type, then.” she murmurs. “What _is_ your type, Gav?”

(There’s also no flutter when _she_ calls him Gav, and they’d dated briefly.)

“He is pretty fit,” Gavin says after some time, the words slow and careful, “He’s. He’s ridiculous most of the time, but not in an over the top way. Serious too. Sometimes he gets quiet at work and I wonder if he’s bothered by something or if he’s just trying to concentrate.”

He pauses again, thinks back to the few times Ryan had caught him working late, back when Ryan had first started with them, when he was still sort of afraid of him and they edited most of their own videos.

(Hunched over his keyboard and adding the final touches to a video before it went up, he’d thought he was alone until a cup of coffee was placed beside him and a sandwich; the arm in his peripheral making him pull his headphones down and look up, Ryan had looked almost _bashful_ , stepping back away from his desk.

“I saw the light on as I was leaving,” Ryan had said, voice quiet and Gavin didn’t remember seeing him leave after they’d finished filming a video earlier, bowing out of another so he could work on something for animation. “I know how the whole,” he waves a hand towards Gavin’s computer, “goes,” he offers. “Figured you might need something.”

Ryan looks tired for the most part, dark shadows under his eyes, and Gavin’s heart picks up a little, wonders if it’s right, finding your coworker you barely know attractive. “Thanks, Rye,” he says, the nickname slipping off his tongue before he can stop it, something he’d heard the other lads call Ryan.

“It’s no problem, Gavin,” Ryan says, his voice dropping down to something soft, fond. “Lindsay told me you were... _nervous_ around me, so I’m just trying to…” he trails off, flounders around for the proper word for a moment, “Think of this as a peace offering. I want us to be friends.”

Gavin’s mostly torn between being mortified and grateful that Lindsay brought that up with him, the way the older man’s standing by his desk, sort of hunched makes him seem more human and approachable. “I appreciate it,” he says. “Geoff and the others call me an asshole but I’m really not. So. I want to be your friend too.”

“You’re definitely an asshole sometimes,” Ryan says, a slight grin turning the corners of his mouth up, “But not in the bad and overbearing way.” His stance relaxes and he grins even more, “You’re a pretty decent guy to be a hot shot who’s worked on movies before.” he teases.

Gavin’s mouth dries a little and his heart thumps heavily against his ribs as he opens and closes his mouth, “Thanks?” he says, weakly. “You’re not so scary,” and then he picks his coffee up, taking a drink from it so he doesn’t continue speaking like an idiot, “And you even make decent coffee,” he jokes.

Ryan smiles widely, “Thanks,” he parrots back. “I should leave you to finish that, don’t stay too late or Geoff’ll kick your ass.”)

“Well fuck me,” Gavin says suddenly, trying to hide in Meg’s shirt. “I think Ryan’s damn well my type.”

Meg rubs the back of his neck, “You going to be alright?”

Gavin’s not sure, not sure of anything really, he feels jittery in a way, like there’s _so much_ he needs to do but can’t. “I need a drink,” he ends up groaning.

 -

Friday night finds Meg dragging him out to a bar, something small and local, “Your drink,” she says when they find a seat, setting a shot in front of him, “Gotta get this out of the way and then we’ll work on getting you to a point where you can talk to Ryan.”

Gavin downs the shot in one gulp, “No way in hell,” he says with a gasp as he grabs the beer she puts in front of him, taking a long drink from it. “I’m not talking to him.” 

“Oh baby,” she says, resting her hand on his, “It’d make you feel better, y’know. Might help you,” she says diplomatically, “If he has feelings for you, it could lead to _something_ , but if he doesn’t then it’s out in the open and I _know_ him, he’d never hurt you and he’d go out of his way to make sure nothing was awkward between you two.”

“You’re a lot,” Gavin says, “This whole thing is a _lot_ ,” he takes another long drink of his beer, “You know I don’t talk well to people I like,” he says, “I could only talk to you because I had a lot of alcohol in me,” he’s not pouting, even if he feels like he is, “I’m a _mess_.”  

Meg smiles gently, “Hey, you and I are okay now, right? There’s no hard feelings and you were pretty upfront about your feelings for me right away.”

“Only because you thought you liked me too.” 

Meg’s hand is warm against his, and she squeezes gently, “Because I do like you,” she says gently. “Just not like _that_.” she smiles, “You’ve got nothing to be afraid of, Gav. I’m here for you.”

-

**To: Ryebread** **  
** **  
** _does the offer to marry me still stand_

**From: Ryebread**

_?_

**To: Ryebread**

_drunk, forget it_

-

Gavin’s almost afraid to face Ryan on Monday, but he pulls himself together and heads into work anyway, dropping down into his chair with a sigh when the room’s empty, though his reprieve doesn’t last for long because everyone starts filing in shortly after. 

Ryan, doesn’t say anything as he passes by, doesn’t call him out or even mention that Gavin had drunk text him, instead, he smiles when Gavin looks at him, and everything about him just looks so warm and inviting that Gavin _aches_.  

He aches and aches and wants to feel Ryan’s smile against his skin, wants to know what it’s like to hold his hand, wants to be able to kiss him whenever he wants to. 

(He thinks back, thinks of the time he’d thought he was in love with Meg, how all encompassing, how it all felt like _so much_ , like it does now. He wonders if this is what love’s supposed to feel like or if he’s just having a heart attack.)

- 

He stares down at his phone, looks away from it before looking back down at the screen, squinting as he reads the message.

**From: Ryebread**

_If you want to talk about marriage, at least ask me on a date first_  

**From: Ryebread**  

_Unless im being too forward?_  

**To: Ryebread**

_i dont know_  

**From: Ryebread**

_Come over to my apartment. I’ll cook. We can talk?_

**To: Ryebread**

_okay_  

- 

Gavin’s nervous, jittery and feels like he could run a marathon if he really wanted to, can’t sit still long enough and he’s paced his place for the past thirty minutes now, wondering if he should just text Ryan that he can’t make it. 

He can almost hear Meg telling him to get over himself, to just _do it_ , because Ryan _offered_ so he’s obviously interested in _something_ , even if Gavin can’t believe it.  

“It’s too _cliche_ ,” He’d half whined to Meg on the phone, “Inviting me to cook so what, he can confess his undying love? He’s probably just being _nice_.”  

He can hear Meg roll her eyes, “Just get dressed. Wear something nice. But not a suit. Maybe something _not_ Rooster Teeth. But other than that, just be yourself. Go over to his place, eat and talk. See where the night takes you.”

Gavin leaves with twenty minutes to spare, slipping into his Lyft, thankful for the driver’s soft chatter, the noise taking his mind off the impending _date_ he’s going on because _oh god_ , that’s what it is.

Ryan’s text had said _take me on a date first_ and then he’d invited him over.

**To: Girl**

_This is a date_

**From: Girl**  

_Yes, are you headed there now?_

**To: Girl**

_I am. I’m going to vom_

**From: Girl**  

_You’ve got this, gav_

The drive to Ryan’s apartment feels too slow but also too quick, and soon, the car stops and Gavin’s tapping his rating, sending through a tip as he walks the short distance to the door, nerves and jitters at an all time high as he knocks softly, bouncing from one foot to the other in anticipation. 

The door opens and Ryan’s there, face flushed, hair a mess, “ _Gavin_ ,” he breathes out, “You came,” he holds the door open, “I was just finishing dinner, if you want to…” he trails off as Gavin nods and moves forward, stepping inside; it’s warm and smells _amazing_ and he tells Ryan as much, the older man flushing.

“Make yourself at home,” Ryan says, squeezing Gavin’s shoulder briefly before he disappears back into the kitchen and Gavin still feels Ryan’s touch long after he’s gone. 

As Gavin settles on the couch, taking a moment to look around Ryan’s apartment, Ryan comes back into the room, carrying a beer, “I don’t drink,” he says, “But I figured you might want one,” he holds the bottle out to Gavin. 

“Just one,” Gavin clarifies, a little smile on his face at the thoughtfulness. “Relax, Rye,” he says when he sees Ryan fidget, sees himself pacing his own apartment in the bunch of the older man's shoulders. “We’re friends, right?” 

The knot of tension in Ryan’s shoulder loosens, and he nods, “Yeah,” he whispers back. “We are,” he stands there for far too long, but that’s okay, because Gavin does too, the two of them holding onto the beer bottle until Gavin gently reminds Ryan about dinner and Ryan runs off with a soft _shit_ , muttering something about how he hopes nothing’s burnt.  

(It’s not, thankfully, but Gavin feels a bit better knowing that he’s not the only one frazzled by the whole thing.)

The beer helps loosen Gavin up, makes him feel more relaxed, and true to his word, he only drinks one, gently pokes fun at the amount of diet coke in Ryan’s fridge before taking one for himself and one for Ryan, coming to sit down on the couch where Ryan’s got their plates, waiting.

“This looks amazing,” Gavin says when Ryan passes him the plate. “I didn’t know you cooked, Ryan.”

Ryan shrugs, looks a bit sheepish, “I’m in my thirties and I live alone. Can’t live off of fast food forever. Hopefully it tastes as good as it looks. Haven’t tried this recipe before.” He waves a hand at the plate, “Made the pasta noodles and sauce from scratch.” 

“Wow,” Gavin says. “You are. Something else, Ryan. Something else entirely,” he mumbles in wonder, shaking his head.

“Good, I hope,” Ryan says softly, and Gavin just nods, looking at him with something he can’t quite decipher. 

When Gavin finally tears his gaze away, he focuses on eating instead, humming happily at the taste, “This is amazing,” he praises, glancing up in time to see the flush bloom across Ryan’s cheeks. “I’ve never had anything quite like this.” 

More tension leaks out of Ryan and he starts eating as well, and soon, there’s just silence between the two of them and it’s only when Gavin’s finished, does he speak again, “You are absolutely too _lovely_ to be single still,” he says, the beer making things easier, making the words come to him. “Why are you still single?”

Normally the question would hurt, cause barbs to grab him, but Ryan just laughs, a fond sound as he reaches over, taking Gavin’s empty plate and empty can, carrying them to the kitchen. “I’m sort of into someone right now, but haven’t been able to ask them out,” he says when he comes back, sitting on the couch, closer to Gavin.

“Oh?” Gavin asks, half confused. “Why not?”

Ryan shrugs, leaning one shoulder against the back of the couch as he turns, facing Gavin, “Didn’t know if things would be reciprocated. Didn’t want to make things uncomfortable. Didn’t want to assume they’d be interested in me.”

Gavin leans back, feeling warm and comfortable and slightly curious about who's taken Ryan's attention, “Oh, just do what Meg told me to do,” he says easily. “Just go for it. You never know how things will turn out.” He grins, a bit stupidly, “I asked her out and we dated even though I was terrified of rejection. Now, we’re not dating and we don’t hate each other, either.”

Ryan seems to contemplate that for a few minutes, and then he nods, “Okay,” he says, and then he’s leaning over, pressing a kiss to Gavin’s mouth that lasts for only a moment before he’s pulling back. “So?” 

A squeak, Gavin flails a bit as he sits up, turning to look at Ryan with wide eyes, “ _So?”_ he asks, incredulous. “You suddenly kiss me and all you have to say is _so_?” he slaps a hand against Ryan's shoulder, “Meg told me you were a gentleman and you just—” he breaks off, going silent as Ryan's earlier words finally hit him.

For a moment, Ryan thinks he’s screwed up, but then Gavin’s leaning forward, one hand cupping the back of his neck, pulling him down, “At least kiss me right, you knob,” he mumbles before he presses their mouths back together, making a happy sort of noise when Ryan pushes him back into the couch.

-

**To: Girl**

**[picture attachment]**

_Dinner went nice._

**From: Girl**

_!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_


End file.
